Humanities

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Introduction

Sandra F. Connelly M.Ed.
Humanities Curriculum Coordinator, K-12
English Language Arts, Social Studies, Reading and Library Science 
 
Elementary Language Arts
Elementary Language Arts are taught through a balanced approach which includes instruction  in reading, writing, working with words and application of what was taught through independent, self-selected reading.  Students are encouraged to read each night, to build fluency and to foster a love for reading.  Students are taught decoding and comprehension strategies to preview, predict, make inferences and connections and then to summarize, question and evaluate text. Students read a balance of nonfiction and fiction as well as poems, plays and speeches. 
 

Elementary Social Studies 
Elementary Social Studies explores topics that help our students learn about their world and their relationship to the world and others.  
 
English Literature and History
English Literature and History instruction in the secondary schools builds on the comprehension strategies taught in prior grades while increasing the academic challenge of the text.  These include rigorous and engaging literature selections as well as primary and secondary source documents.  Students are taught how to interact with text, synthesize and evaluate what they have read and to develop an argument with substantive evidence.  Through collaborative discussions and seminars, students develop skills to be ready for college and beyond.    
 
Humanities Curriculum Office 
The School District of Haverford Township
610-853-5900 x7212 (office)

Elementary ELA

Elementary students are taught English Language Arts through a balanced literacy approach.

The Elementary English Language Arts Curriculum Overview video is found here. 

Instruction includes:

  • Interactive read-alouds to model good-reader strategies with award-winning trade literature
  • Reading and writing mini-lessons to explicitly model comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency
  • Differentiated small-group reading that builds seamlessly on shared reading instruction
  • Independent reading to encourage the transfer of skills and strategies
  • Word Study - phonemic awareness, phonics, and word study to build strong decoding and word-solving strategies
  • Writer’s Workshop to support teachers through the writing process, working with students at all writing stages across a range of genres 

Students are taught metacognitive and reading comprehension strategies through fiction and nonfiction big books, posters and leveled texts. 

  • Metacognitive strategies include:• Ask questions • Determine text importance • Fix-up monitoring • Make connections • Make inferences • Summarize & synthesize • Visualize
  • Reading comprehension strategies include: • Analyze character • Analyze story elements • Analyze text structure & organization • Compare & contrast • Distinguish & evaluate fact & opinion • Draw conclusions • Evaluate author’s purpose • Identify cause & effect • Identify main idea & supporting details • Identify sequence of events • Make judgments • Make predictions • Summarize information • Use graphic features to interpret information • Use text features to locate information

Reading Instruction is organized into 3-week units:

Word Study/Phonics instruction includes:  

  • Grades K and 1 use Fundations 
  • Grade 2 uses Benchmark Literacy Phonics
  • Grades 3 - 5 use Benchmark LIteracy Word Study

A variety of formal and informal assessments are used to design instruction and monitor student progress.

Homework: Students are encouraged to read each night, to build fluency and to foster a love of reading.  Additional practice working with words or practicing skills taught in class may be assigned. Home~School Connections (see Elementary ELA Parent Resources) are available for additional practice connected to classroom instruction.

Elementary ELA Parent Resources

Kindergarten and First Grade - RAZ Kids login 

Type teacher login sent to you by the teacher - usually the first initial, lastname (and in Kindergarten followed by AM or PM). Your child will then choose their name/number/icon.

 

Kindergarten

Fundations

First Grade

Fundations

Second Grade

Third Grade

Fourth Grade

Fifth Grade

 

Secondary ELA

English Literature and History instruction in the secondary schools builds on the comprehension strategies taught in prior grades while increasing the academic challenge of the text.  These include rigorous and engaging literature selections as well as primary and secondary source documents.  Students are taught how to interact with text, synthesize and evaluate what they have read and to develop an argument with substantive evidence. Through collaborative discussions and seminars, students develop skills to be ready for college and beyond.

Elementary Social Studies

Elementary Social Studies explores topics that help our students learn about their world and their relationship to the world and others.